Time controlled mechanism for phonograph apparatuses



June 10, 1947. Y 1.. A. DURANT 2,421,335

TIME CONTROLLED MECHANISM FOR PHONOGRAPH APPARATUS Filed Au 12, 1946 2 T as I N VEN TOR.

Lyndon Afizu'ant BY Patented June 10, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TIME CONTROLLED MECHANISM FOR PHONOGRAPH APPARATUSES Lyndon A. Durant, Chicago, Ill.

Application August 12, 1946, Serial No. 689,923

1 Claim. 1

My invention relates to time controlled mechanism for phonograph apparatuses.

One of the principal objects of my invention is the provision for intermittently efiecting energization of the phonograph-driving motor whereby to intermittently eifect the playing of a record without the deposit of a coin to condition the phonograph apparatus for play.

The conventional and standard phonographs in the main are coin-controlled and are usually located in places of public gathering and amusement, and are conditioned for operation only as and when a coin is deposited in the coin-controlled slide thereof.

It is common practice to use, in connection with such phonographs, record-selecting mechanisms arranged in selector boxes remotely disposed from the phonograph. It has been an established fact that operation of the phonograph by the deposit of coins therein is more frequent a when the phonograph has, in efiect, a continuous operation. In other words, an inoperative phonograph will not attract the attention of those who otherwise would be desirous of selecting a record for play; whereas a phonograph which is frequently operated attracts the attention or creates the desire in others to select their favorite record for play.

With this in mind, it is the primary object of this invention to provide in the starting motor circuit of an electrically operated phonograph a time-controlled switch or other mechanism which will at predetermined intervals connect the motor in circuit with the power line for operation of the phonograph, thereby providing an arrangement in any approved or standard phonograph for automatically and intermittently operating the same, thereby to attract and create the desire for further operation by conditioning the-apparatus for play through the coin-controlled mechanism.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the novel combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter of which being connected by conductors I8 to the power supply lines I 3 and I4. In the circuit of the standard and well-known electrically operated and coin-controlled phonograph, there is also provided a starting switch I9 which may comprise a switch arm 20 connected by conductors 2| to one side of the transformer and adapted to have contact, by operation of a standard coin slide 20' such as shown in United States Letters Patent No. 1,908,380, with a complementary switch arm 22 connected by a conductor 22 to one side of an electromagnetic voil 23 having a solenoid bar 23. The other side of the coil 23' is connected by conductor 24 to the opposite side 24 of the secondary coil of the transformer I6.

The coil 23' controls the operation of a time switch or other mechanism which in the circuit of the motor l0 regulates the duration of its operation for record-playing purposes when the motor circuit is energized by the closing of the starting switch Ill. As illustrative of such a mechanism, and with no desire to be limited thereto, I have shown the solenoid bar 23 pivoted as at 26 to an arm 21, the latter adapted to contact with a conductor plate 28. This arm 21 is connected by a conductor 29 to the supply line I3. The plate 28 has connection to the conductor II as shown. Movement of this arm 21 in one direction may be under the control of a dashpot similar to that shown in United States Letters Patent No. 2,101,194, dated December '7, 1937, or what is known in the art as a time clock, the latter being diagrammaticallyillustrated at 30.

Connected in parallel with the motor ill, by means of conductors 3 I, is an electromagnetic coil 32 having a solenoid bar 33. This solenoid bar 33 is pivotally connected as at 34 to an arm 35. This arm 35, like the arm 21 is retarded in its movement in one direction. This may be done by a dashpot or time clock, diagrammatically illustrated at 36. In its extreme downward movement, as viewed in the single figure, the arm 35 is adapted to engage a switch arm 31 and move the same into contact with a complementary switch arm 38. These switch arms 31 and 38 by conductors 39 are connected in parallel with the starting switch I9.

For an understanding of the operation of my control device, let it be assumed that the starting switch I9 has been closed to set up a circuit in the coil 23' by the deposit of a coin in the coin slide 20', When this switch I9 is closed, the coil 23' will become energized and move the arm 21 to the right, as viewed in the drawings, into contact with the right-hand portion of the contact plate 28. Under action of the time clock 39, the arm 2'! will slowly move over the plate 28 to its original non-contacting position with respect to the plate 23. This period of movement with the arm 21 under the control of the time clock 30 is of a duration necessary to require the full playing of a standard record used in electrically operated phonographs.

As soon as the arm 21 contacts with the plate 28 and as long as it remains in contact therewith, the motor ill will be energized to effect playing of the record. As soon as the arm 2! leaves the plate 28, the circuit to the motor will be broken and operation thereof will discontinue.

Simultaneously with the energization of the motor ID by contacting of the arm 21 with the plate 28, the electromagnetic coil 32 becomes energized and pivots the arm 35 against the action of the retarding mechanism 36 in a clockwise direction, where it is held as long as the coil 32 is energized.

As soon as the contact arm 2'! breaks contact with the plate 28, the coil 32 becomes deenergized, and retroactive movement of the arm 35 is then under the control of the retarding mechanism 35. This movement of the arm 35 under the control of the retardin mechanism 36 may be predetermined, but for purposes of illustration, let it be assumed that the movement from the extreme upper position to the lower position as viewed in the drawing is an interval of fifteen minutes. Therefore, under this assumption, the electrically operated phonograph will remain inoperative for a period of fifteen minutes unless the starting switch is actuated by deposit of a coin in the coin slide 20.

If this does not take place, then at the end of the period of fifteen minutes or at a time when the arm 35 reaches its lower extreme movement in such position the arm 35 will move the contact finger 3'! into contact with the contact finger 38, and through the conductor wires 39, 24, H and 311 will set up a circuit to the electromagnetic coil 23, whereupon upon energization of this coil 23' the arm 2'! is pivoted to its extreme right-hand position as viewed in the drawings. In this position of the arm 21 in contact with the plate 28, the motor I is energized for operation and the electromagnetic coil 32 is energized, causing the solenoid bar thereof to move in a direction to pivot the arm 35 to its extreme upper position, breaking the contact between the switch arms 37 and 38, which in turn breaks the electric circuit to the electromagnetic coil 23'. When the arm 21 reaches its extreme left-hand position as viewed in the drawings, the motor I!) will be deenergized as will the coil 32, and the arm 35 then will again be under the control and operation of the retarding mechanism 36 ready to repeat the cycle hereinbefore set forth and described.

-By a control mechanism above described, it will be apparent that at predetermined intervals the phonograph will be caused to operate irrespective of the deposit of a coin, to effect conditioning of the starting switch l9 and the coil 23. By such an arrangement, attention is attracted to the phonograph with the ultimate result to continue its play by deposit of coins therein.

In the standard and well-known electrically operated phonograph, a circuit of the standard construction hereinbefore described is invariably used in connection with a record-selecting mechanism. For an understanding of such a mechanism and its relationship in the standard circuit of the electrically operated phonograph, reference may be had to Patent No. 2,230,486, dated February 4, 1941, granted to me for improvements in a selecting mechanism.

For convenience, I prefer to designate the circuit having incorporated therein the motor ID, the transformer 16, the starting switch l9, and the electromagnetic coil 23', as the main circuit," and as a secondary circuit that circuit which has incorporated therein the retarding mechanism 36 including the switch fingers 31 and 38.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying my invention into effect, this is capable of variation and modification Without departing from the spirit of the invention. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

Control mechanism for coin-controlled phonograph apparatuses in which there is an operating motor and a power circuit for said motor, comprising an electrically operated circuit breaker for said circuit, a device for timing the duration of the closing of said circuit by said circuit breaker, an electromagnetic element for conditioning said device for said timing operation, a coin-controlled circuit for said electromagnetic element, a non-coin-controlled circuit for said electromagnetic element including a switch, a member movable in a direction to engage and close said switch, a timing device for moving said member into said switch engaging and closing position, and electromagnetic means for moving said member in an opposite direction and for conditioning said timing device to move said member into said engaging and switch closing position.

LYNDON A. DURANT.

REFERENCES CITED The fo"":wing references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,190,026 Jacobson Feb. 13, 1940 2,232,925 Mills Feb. 25, 1941 

